Here we are at the end of year #3 of blogging, with a simultaneous return to sewing. I am still not bored, even a tiny bit. In fact, things continue to get more interesting. First up, the statistics. (And you know, I love me some statistics.)

End of Year

Number of Posts

Number of Followers

Number of Subscribers (via Google Reader)

1

125

130

Was Google Reader in use?

2

107

341

482

3

107

505

739

Note: This year I deleted a dozen really old, icky posts, so I am not tracking totals. Don't worry, it's nothing you would care about - these posts contained images that were wincingly bad.

Last year I started dying my hair red (well, I had the good students at the hair school do it for me). But this year I started wearing it shorter and I've amped up the shade of red. For years and years I desperately wanted long hair, and though it was always an abysmal failure, I continued to try growing it long. I also avoided bangs (fringe) like the plague, having been forced to wear bangs my entire childhood. I've finally accepted that short hair is best for me: a bob with bangs is what I wore at age 11, and is what I'm wearing now. Me and Anna Wintour. Bring it on!

Hats:

This year I have acquired several hats! I never was a hat person before, but they are really calling to me now. I have acquired a grey fedora, a burgundy cloche, a red jaunty number made by my friend Sue (not sure what the style is called) and worn at the Cañada meetup, a chartreuse Oska beannie, and a black and white animal-print, angora beret. mrowrrr And I wear them! (This has been a particularly cold San Francisco summer, so my hats have come in very handy.)

Clothing:

I continue to refine my clothing style. I still love lagenlook, but have accepted that the boxy, large tops do me and my bust no favors. I prefer knit tops (my woven tops don't get near as much wear) and I prefer funky pants, though I now have a lot of fitted, close-to-the-body pants, mostly thanks to Style Arc patterns. I continue to wear my skirts on the long side. I am not ready to wear a shorter skirt, so we'll see if that changes in the coming year. I also do not wear vests, except very rarely.

Footwear:

Thanks to the influence of Margy and others, I have really embraced funky footwear, such as Trippens, and Arche. My previous favorite funky footwear were Fluevogs, and I still have some fun Fluevogs that haven't been worn much this year. Sad Fluevogs.

For me, summarizing what I've sewn is the least interesting part of the blogiversary post. But when I look over my 107 posts from last year, I see a lot of Style Arc, Vogue (especially the Tilton sisters), and Sewing Workshop patterns, with one or two Au Bonheur, Burda, Butterick and McCalls mixed in. As much as I like statistics, I don't track how many items I've sewn or how much yardage I've used.

I made my first visit to FabMo this year and took two very fun classes. As a result, I've been making more items using home dec fabrics, culminating in my Koos bag. I have been really enjoying this process!

This year I'm curious to see how attending DOL will inform my work. I also want to try some downloadable Burda patterns from the BurdaStyle site. I have been eyeing a couple designs, but they will require grading up for my size, which is a little de-motivating. I hope to attend the upcoming PR weekend in San Francisco and meet some great people I have come to know through Pattern Review. Other than that I have no concrete plans. I like to keep things fast and loose.

58 comments:

I love a good recap. Congratulations on your third anniversary. I have no idea how I discovered your blog, but I am glad I did. Your posts are instructive, creative, funny, and inspiring. One day I hope to try on a pair of Trippens. One day.

Great celebratory post, Shams! I can't believe it's been just less than a year since we met for the first time IRL at Artistry in Fashion! We have had some fun times, and you have become a treasured friend...you have been such an inspiration to so many people, including me...you are a great mentor to those of us trepidatiously beginning our blogs, and you are a born teacher, as evidenced in so many of your helpful posts. And FUNNY??? yes!

HUGS, HUGS, HUGS and a huge CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! I think it's always good to take a look back. I think that we can get caught up in our everyday lives and feel that we are not moving forward, when really, we're going at lightening speed. Best wishes on your continued flight!

Whoopeee!! Congratulations! And thanks for the excellent anniversary post. I turn to Communing with Fabric first for my sewing fabrics and creativity needs! Thanks for a great informative and just-right blog!!!

Congratulations on your blogversary. I love to read your sewing adventures. You have a unique style and original approach to the garments you make. Thanks for sharing and here's to the next three years!

Congratulations, Sharon! Yours is my favorite blog of all; I enjoy your spirit of forging into areas never tread before. I don't want to call you "Shams" anymore, because you are the real deal -- real generous, real creative, real adventurous. You are a highly-valued gift to the blogging community!

I love your style, humour (I will never forget "its pretty hard to avoid the fact that I am mostly boobs")and your insane sewing skills. Congrats on three years and I expect many more years of being entertained by you.

Congratulations on 3 years - pretty good achievement!! You, Anna and I wear short hair with a fringe (or bangs as you call them). And yes I have just about always worn my hair like that as no amount of wishing will make it grow long :(

Congrats Shams, as you know I am a fan! Love your blog and style. Thanks for the recap, there are a few favorite posts there that I'll revisit :) Enjoy DOL, this will a highlight of the 4 year recap I suspect. Thanks for the time and effort you put into your blog, it is appreciated.

Congratulations on your three year mark! I'm so happy you're blogging, because I thoroughly enjoy reading your posts. Your genuineness, integrity, and sense of humor come through loud and clear. You inspire me!

Whoot back attacha! And congratulations on 3 great years. What a good and knowledgeable friend you've become. Someone who shares the same sense of style, will spend hours at Mio and answers all the questions I shoot your way - thank you! Your posts make my day.

There's nothing easier than grading Burda patterns up (or down..). You get all the sizes together, you can see how much they go up at that point, you do that too, the result is great. I've graded patterns from 36 to 60 and had stuff turn out perfect right off. Don't hesitate for a minute :-). You already know how to do bust adjustments, you'll be shocked how much better the Burda fit is than Vogue, or the SW.